Science Stats

  1. forest
    Ecosystems

    Planting trees could buy more time to fight climate change than thought

    Earth has nearly a billion hectares suitable for new forests to start trapping carbon, a study finds.

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  2. golden toad
    Life

    1 million species are under threat. Here are 5 ways we speed up extinctions

    One million of the world’s plant and animal species are now under threat of extinction, a new report finds.

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  3. emergency room
    Health & Medicine

    Pharmaceutical abuse sent more than 350,000 people to the ER in 2016

    The misuse of pharmaceuticals sent an estimated 350,000 people to U.S. emergency departments in 2016.

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  4. haddock
    Oceans

    Oceans that are warming due to climate change yield fewer fish

    Warming water due to climate change is diminishing sustainable fishery yields in the world’s oceans.

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  5. Saturn
    Planetary Science

    Ring ripples reveal how long a day lasts on Saturn

    Clues in Saturn’s rings divulge the planet’s rotation rate: 10 hours, 33 minutes, 38 seconds.

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  6. Prosecco vineyard
    Agriculture

    Prosecco production takes a toll on northeast Italy’s environment

    The soil in Northern Italy’s prosecco vineyards is washing away.

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  7. person lying in bed and a smartphone
    Health & Medicine

    Americans are sleeping less than they were 13 years ago

    A survey suggests that nearly one-third of American adults are sleeping fewer than 6 hours a night, and minority groups are most affected.

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  8. heavy rainstorm
    Climate

    Half the world’s annual rain falls in just 12 days

    Climate change could shorten the time it takes for the world to receive half its annual precipitation from 12 days to 11 by 2100.

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  9. Environment

    Car tires and brake pads produce harmful microplastics

    Scientists surveyed tiny airborne plastics near German highways and found that bits of tires, brake pads and asphalt make up most of the particles.

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  10. pollution in Lahore, Pakistan
    Health & Medicine

    Air pollution is triggering diabetes in 3.2 million people each year

    A new study quantifies the link between smoggy air and diabetes.

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  11. map of world’s rivers and streams
    Earth

    Earth’s rivers cover 44 percent more land than we thought

    A global survey of rivers and streams based on satellite data suggests that these waterways traverse about 773,000 square kilometers.

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  12. leaf-cutter ants
    Animals

    Leaf-cutter ants pick up the pace when they sense rain

    Leaf-cutter ants struggle to carry wet leaves, so they run to avoid rain.

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